Freezing uncooked lobster is something that a lot of people want to know if they can do and get good results.
So, can you freeze uncooked lobster? Is it safe?
Yes, you can freeze uncooked lobster. It is safe and you will get good results as long as you do the freezing process right.
It’s important to remember freezing uncooked lobster is really just freezing any seafood in general.
And, freezing seafood has nothing specific about it when compared to freezing other types of food like vegetables and meats.
How to freeze uncooked lobster correctly?
You need to make sure freezing lobster is done correctly.
When freezing lobster, the temperature of the freezing process matters.
The freezing temperature needs to be 0 degrees Fahrenheit or lower to get good results.
What does freezing seafood below 0 degrees do?
Freezing at these low temperatures causes what’s called “Super Cooling”.
This prevents large amounts of ice from forming.
This freezing process creates a lot of small ice crystals instead of big chunks. Smaller crystals cause less damage to your food.
Since uncooked seafood is usually high in water content, freezing at freezing temperatures will keep the food from freezing solid.
This freezing process both prevents ice crystal damage and keeps your seafood juicy and moist.
Freezing uncooked lobster below 0 degrees Fahrenheit is recommended.
It does not over freeze causing large amounts of ice to form inside the freezing seafood.
How long can you freeze uncooked lobster?
Freezing uncooked lobster varies depending on how freezing is done.
The freezing process doesn’t care how big the freezing unit/container is, but it does need to be able to hold enough food for freezing without over freezing.
If freezing lobster in a home freezer, it can be frozen for up to 2 months.
If freezing lobster in a commercial freezing unit, it can be frozen much longer because freezing units are made of better materials than home freezers.
Can you refreeze uncooked lobster?
Yes, freezing uncooked lobster and then freezing it again is completely safe.
There will be no negative side effects.
Tips for freezing uncooked lobster
To freeze uncooked lobster, first, start by washing the freezing lobster under cold running water and allowing it to dry.
Next, wrap each freezing unit of uncooked seafood with a layer of wax paper or butcher’s paper.
Be sure to wrap freezing seafood completely including the tail and claws.
Next, you will need to place the freezing lobster in a freezing unit or freezing container with enough space for freezing seafood without over freezing.
Then put that freezing seafood into your freezer.
You can keep freezing uncooked lobster frozen like this indefinitely as long as it stays frozen.
Can you freeze uncooked lobster tails?
Yes, freezing lobster tails can be frozen.
But, freezing uncooked lobster tails is tricky.
It is a little more complicated and requires a few extra steps because the tail has such a delicate texture.
It’s important to make sure that the freezing process is right.
Here are the simple steps you can follow:
- Wash freezing lobster tails under cold running water and dry with a towel.
- Remove the freezing lobster meat from freezing uncooked seafood tail shells.
- Wrap freezing lobster tails in freezer paper or a foil bag, being sure to wrap completely including the claws and tail.
- Place freezing lobster tails inside your freezer.
- Freeze for as long as you want up to 6 months.
Just remember, the longer you freeze the freezing lobster tails, the more ice crystals will form and damage the freezing lobster meat inside.
How do you thaw frozen uncooked lobster?
The freezing process doesn’t just stop at freezing; you need to know how to thaw frozen seafood too.
To thaw frozen lobster, take it out of the freezing unit and place it in a container filled with cold tap water.
The freezing lobster should be thawed within 24 to 48 hours depending on how frozen freezing seafood is and how big uncooked seafood is when frozen.
It’s important to not put freezing lobster into warm or lukewarm water because this will cause freezing lobster to lose most of its freezing properties.
Final Thoughts
In sum, freezing uncooked lobster is possible and safe.
Just make sure that the lobster is frozen correctly and is properly thawed before you cook it.
I hope that the tips shared in this post help you freeze your uncooked lobster properly and successfully.
If you want to learn more about freezing foods, feel free to visit my guide here.
